John Quincy Adams

A Man for the Whole People

By: Randall Woods

Narrated by: Mark Bramhall

A magisterial journey through the epic life and transformative times of John Quincy Adams

In this masterful biography, historian Randall B. Woods peels back the many layers of John Quincy’s long life, exposing a rich and complicated family saga and a political legacy that transformed the American Republic.

Born the first son of John and Abigail Adams, he was pressured to follow in his father’s footsteps in both law and politics. His boyhood was spent amid the furor of the American Revolution, and as a teen he assisted his father on diplomatic missions in Europe, hobnobbing with monarchs and statesmen, dining with Ben Franklin, sitting by Voltaire at the opera. He received a world-class education, becoming fluent in Latin, Greek, German, and French. His astonishing intellect and poise would lead to a diplomatic career of his own, in which he'd help solidify his fledgling nation’s standing in the world.

He was intertwined with every famous American of his day, from Washington to Jefferson, Madison and Monroe, Jackson, Calhoun, Clay, and Webster. He was on stage, frequently front and center, during the Revolutionary Era, the fractious birth of American party politics, the War of 1812, the Era of Good Feelings, and the peak of Continental Expansion. It was against this backdrop that he served as an ambassador, senator, secretary of state, and, unhappily, as president. The driving force behind both the Transcontinental Treaty and the Monroe Doctrine, this champion of Manifest Destiny spent the last years of his life fighting against the annexation of Texas because it would facilitate the spread of slavery.

This deeply researched, brilliantly written volume delves into John Quincy’s intellectual pursuits and political thought; his loving, yet at times strained, marriage to Louisa Catherine Johnson, whom he met in London; his troubling relationships with his three sons; and his fiery post-presidency rebirth in Congress as he became the chamber’s most vocal opponent of slavery.

Fantastic listen

I love reading biographies on the Adams family & this was great. So far my favorite from the past year. I only wish there had been an afterward that talked about his last legacy both immediately after and later.

Most compelling and complete

This is one of the best biographies I have read/heard, and probably the most complete of the several I have studied on JQA.

Great Story

I learned so much about JQA from this book. Well worth a listen. I'll be looking for more from this author.

masterful reading.

Well written, and well read. A wonderful account of a True American, for America and for all men.

Comprehensive Bio of a Great Man

JQA may not have been one of our better presidents, but he was one of the best men to occupy the office. His true accomplishments lie elsewhere, in his early diplomatic career (often alongside his father), in his time as Secretary of State to James Monroe, and in his later time in the House of Representatives during which he became an early but highly effective opponent of slavery. This book is the third full length bio I have read on Adams and it is easily the most comprehensive and complete. However it is very long. For anyone wanting a shorter quicker read, Harlow Unger’s bio is excellent but for those wanting to do a deep dive, this is an excellent and highly recommended choice.